What's a good kero or diesel heater to get for shop?

[sixdogs]

I dont like the fumes from kero or diesel... I have a Propane tube style for like you are describing......connects to a 20 lb bottle or larger if necessary

How big is your heater and how much propane do you use?

 

[farmer2009]

Have a 125,000 btu Mr. Heater brand. It's tested for diesel and has a fuel pressure gauge. I've burned kerosene and diesel in it. When I was burning kerosene the hoses would dry out and crack. Needing replaced every year. After I switched to diesel the fuel gauge gummed up but hoses stopped cracking.

If you're willing to put in a 100lb or 250 gallon propane tank in then a L.B. White or Hired Hand heaters are very good. Pick your size. I have 24 of the Hired Hand 225k btu heaters and are very reliable. But that size needs at least a 250 gallon tank IMO.

 

[PhysAssist]

Have a 125,000 btu Mr. Heater brand. It's tested for diesel and has a fuel pressure gauge. I've burned kerosene and diesel in it. When I was burning kerosene the hoses would dry out and crack. Needing replaced every year. After I switched to diesel the fuel gauge gummed up but hoses stopped cracking.

If you're willing to put in a 100lb or 250 gallon propane tank in then a L.B. White or Hired Hand heaters are very good. Pick your size. I have 24 of the Hired Hand 225k btu heaters and are very reliable. But that size needs at least a 250 gallon tank IMO.

I believe our Kero-Diesel "salamander" is a 135K Master Pro from TSC, and we don't like to burn Kero because it smells and we both end up with headaches, but we haven't had any problems at all burning diesel with it, and it heats our virtually uninsulated 45'x35'x16' pole barn at least well enough to work in without frostbite even when it's in the negative degrees outside.

We do have a vapor barrier with about 1/2" of fiberglass and radiant heat barrier on the roof, but it works better to keep it cooler in summer than warm in winter.

YMMV

 

[newbury]

I've a similar situation to the OP but need a portable solution to move between 4 uninsulated shops.
I'm in north Mississippi (average low only gets down to 32 degrees from January 10-20) and I'm from Vermont and comfortable working down to 50 degrees. So what I really need is something to "flash" heat for a few hours in the morning while I putter around in the shop

Does anyone have experience with the "radiant" heaters, like ProTemp Portable Kerosene Radiant Heater — 70,000 BTU, Model# PT-70-SS | Kerosene Heaters| Northern Tool + Equipment, which might be a knockoff of the VAL6 which the OP mentioned?

About any hardware store, big box store or northern tools, that handle keroseen / diesel heaters, can get the MiTM - Val6 knock off - you need to ask for them to order one for you . . .. Northern tools has their own version, which is a bit cheaper (constrution/materials) then the MiTM ~
Here is the parrent company that markets them ~ http://www.pinnacleint.com/products.html
Mi-T-M Hot & Cold Water Pressure Washers Compressor Generators
ProTemp Oil-Fired Radiant Kerosene/Diesel Heater — 125,000 BTU, 3125 Sq. Ft. Heating Capacity, Model# PT125OFR | Kerosene Heaters| Northern Tool + Equipment
and another new comer - V40Heater - Like No Other

from http://talk.newagtalk.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=269902&DisplayType=flat

I'm thinking the radiant heating may be very good for my needs.

 

[MarkF48]

Anyone have any comments on the CO a kerosene salamander heater might throw out? I have one I use in my barn, but I've often wondered if there's any risk of succumbing to the CO it puts out.

 

[KennyG]

Anyone have any comments on the CO a kerosene salamander heater might throw out? I have one I use in my barn, but I've often wondered if there's any risk of succumbing to the CO it puts out.

Any time you use an open combustion device for extended periods of time, it would be wise to have a CO monitor. They are very low priced and it's easy to be sure. If I remember correctly, the instructions suggest cracking a door or window when you use the salamander units. Because I only use mine 10 to 20 minutes at a time I don't worry much about it, but I am going to add a CO monitor in the shop this year.

 

[dodge man]

I have what I think is a Redi Heater, somewhere around 75,000 btu's. I always cracked a door when I ran it. I have a 28 x 30 insulated garage and it heated it well. I now have a LP furnace hanging in the corner. I know mine was for kerosene only, not diesel, and when it was cold out, it would go through 5 gallons in a few days just to keep it above freezing. The Lp furnace is much more convenient and trouble free. My kero heater keeps getting a crack in the pump that I keep glueing to fix it.

 

[Jstpssng]

Anyone have any comments on the CO a kerosene salamander heater might throw out? I have one I use in my barn, but I've often wondered if there's any risk of succumbing to the CO it puts out.

I got CO poisoning years ago from using a propane heater and forklift in a cold storage building for apples.
To this day I can't stand the smell of propane.

 

[bucktaker]

How big is your heater and how much propane do you use?

I went and looked its an All-PRo it has low 50,000 and high 85,000 settings never really timed the usage but i only use it on a 20 lb bbq tank

try this link
All Pro heaters - heater parts and accessories

 

[teejk]

I heated my uninsulated 2 stall garage (NY) with a 80,000 BTU kero salamander. Had to leave the garage door cracked on start-up and shut down (it was a very nasty "poof" of foul smelling stuff). But it churned out a lot of heat quickly. Also learned to keep it clear of the hose from my shop vac! Here I bought a 60,000 BTU propane unit...Kero is expensive but on a "per/hour" basis I think it is cheaper. I hunted out of a "shack" that used a table top kero heater (keroSun as I recall)...it required a little "lead time" but it worked well and didn't pose the same risks as a hot forced-air flame.